Control valve



y 1952 E. c. RANEY 2,602,593

' CONTROL VALVE Filed Oct. 1, 1949 2 SHEETSSHEET l JNVENTOR. fSTEL C. FAA/5y a2 BY Q I y 1952 I E. c. RANEY 2,602,593

CONTROL VALVE Filed Oct. 1, 1949 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 INVENTOR. 70 fsrsz. Cf Akwey BY W Patented July 8, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT" ()FFICE E tel- Go e v Ha e {De ware-Ohio assignor. to Rancolncorporated, Colunfibus, Qhijgg 3 ration of Ohio Applicants octane? 1, 1949, smam 11.25 144 6' oiaims (o1. m te) The I present-invention. relates to thermostat: ically operated control devices: and moreparticw larly to a thermostatically operated valve having a manually adjustable mechanism for varying the operating temperatures: of. the. valve;

An obieet of the present invention is to provide a control device, suchas 'a.va1ve,-. operated by a thermal responsiveelement andh'a; spring, opposthe thermal element, and having new and improved; meoh-anism for manually adjusting the tension to vary the valve operating. sem p'e'rati-ir s and which mechanism is operative to move and holdthe valve-in either :its' closed or open -posit ons irrespective of temperature con.- ditibnsat the thermal element.

Anotherobject of the invention: is to providezza control device; such as a valve; operated by a thermal responsive element and a spring. roppose ing the thermal element,- and having anew and. improvei -fn'ech-anism, including a manuallyimov; ahle member for adjusting the. spring tension (We? a fMfiVh Wide rangeto Vary the valve-hm I erati ng tem eratures, whieh-rmechanism includes a i esilientniemb'ei arranged to" counteract tre aeti i'lof the imbue ma ally movable tfert; r a rn anually EtdflliSt the spring-1s nominal a d: substantially donsta-ht 'throiighut the range or the spring ad" J'Tistnient:

s not-herohject oi -the iiiv'r-ltien -is" to pro:

vide athermarresersfisivcentral device, such as a valve having a spring to control thetempemtines-at which the valve dperats'athe tnsion of which is adjustable-by new and improvealmechanism which 'has rela tivly rew parts' -and--wh ieh parts-are inexpensiveto -manuractureanu can be readily assembled into a compact mechanism which requires but slight effort in eftec'ting con-- s'iderableadjus'tmerit in the tension ofth spring.-

-(f) ther objects and mi-vantagesof the inventionwill be apparentiromth'efollowing description of a preferred form of-the invention; referenceheing. had to'the accompanying drawings-wherein 1 is a sectional View of a valve echanism Having a thermally responsiveelementto" operate the valve and a manual adjustment for adjusting the temperatures at Which the valve isfop'erated;

Fig.2 is an elevational plan view of theva'lve'j mechanism ,shovving' certain, parts of the, valve" mechanismfin position to hold the valve open, certain other parts pf the mechanism 'beifig' omitted for the'sake of clarity Fig. 3 is a view similartoFig e but showing the:

spring adjusting mechanism in an intermediate asiiustmentvpositheithe empartrne t.--

will hld tl'i' Spring aclgiustmefitin amy position.

Fi .4 is a View simiiag to Fig. 2m "2 the shrine eqju un rmeehamsm m a position t6 maintain the valve iri the, closed .positm I along line 5 5 of: Fig. 1.;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary eIev uefiai -efid or h wntre a i meeh m Fi an fi a v Figs; 9 and i0 arediagrammatic;illustrations of the'valve rne chan-ism.-mov to its open and elosedz p esitions hy thelmanual adjusting fnc'li 15 11; has become a practice to provi e heating systems o the-meme? wml i n of aii mnhiles wh eh's tqme r P il efi fd culating the hot coolant from the automobile en,- gine through a radiator arranged to heat air for Thermostatically' operated. valves have ,beenp ldedto: control the circular tion? ,of the "coolant through the; radiator in ac? cordancewiththgair temperature within the compartment, ,and; manual adjustment means 25 have been provided in such control valve-friech anismsihy; whieh the average temperature iii the compartmen part beregulated to suit the occupaneorrtheautomobil Y a 4 One :formef icontrolvalve inelucles; a thermal responsive element p 'ng a h ll pan sible devieezhavin which ehangesinmape, ,pressurearia causes expansionand contraction of the gleviee according.

to'zrise and ia'llin temperature. A e-spring some times-rererredtea :a frames-s ne sa ra sed, to mechanicallyoppose, theiexpansibledevice and tends-to open'zthe valvjeras thepressurein-thgde: viczdecreases; hence byadjnsting the tension of the spring; the temperature at which the valve operates can. be varied; Itzisdesirable zto' pro vide a hand operated. memben-usuch asa push;

pull button, for effecting adjustment ofthe-spring and-dimculty' has. vbeen experieneed; in providing M me edits thy a push-pull fkn0.b- -ai1d which th e haiid knob 'Set:

qia mmafi.iu'ustratians .61, the" spring adjusting-plechanisin .i-i'l was different 10 posit ns; nd

y volatile fiuidthereintingt "meehanism which can :Joei

the length of the sprin when th member is rotated about its pivot. In the preferred form of the invention, the member is rotated by a push-pull knob. A counteracting spring is attached to the adjusting member to urge the latter in a direction counter to the reaction of the range spring on the adjusting member, and the point of connection between the counteracting spring and the adjusting member is such that the leverage advantage of the counteracting spring is increased as the adjusting member is moved to increase the tension of the range spring.

The invention further contemplates the provision of a valve operating lever adapted to be engaged on one side by the adjusting member when the member is moved to one position to force and hold the valve in the open position, and to be engaged on its opposite side by the adjusting member when the latter is moved to another position to positively hold the valve in the closed position whereby the valve may be maintained in either the open or closed position irrespective of the temperatures eiiecting the thermal responsive element, if desired.

Although the invention is susceptible of use in control mechanisms for a variety of purposes, it is particularly suitable for use in control valves for automotive heating systems such as that described and it is herein shown embodied in such type valve. Referring to the drawings the control valve comprises a mounting or base plate it having a valve chamber attached to one side thereof. The valve chamber comprises a tubular member i2 having a tube |3 connected in one side as by brazing and opening thereinto to form an inlet. The upper-end of-the tubular member l2 as viewed in Fig. l is brazed to an end plate I5 which has a circular boss projecting into the tubular member and which boss has a central opening. The end plate is provided with four lugs I8, only two of which appear in the drawings, and which extend'through slots in the plate I and are crimped to secure the end plate It to the plate i0. 1 p V An annular valve seat i is brazed inside the tubular member I2 and a valve member 25, attached to a valve rod 2|, is adapted to cooperate with the valve seat. The rod 2| extends through the valve seat l9, opening in plate It and outwardly throughan opening in the mounting plate ill in registration with the tubular member I2. A flexible'fiuid tight seal is efiected between the rod 2| and walls of tubular member l2 by a flexible diaphragm 22, which is preferably formed of neoprene or a similar material, clamped about its edges between the end plate It and the mounting plate It. The central portion of the diaphragm has a neck 23 through which the valve rod 2| extends and which neck portion'is clamped to the rod. Preferably, a cap 24 is; secured over the neck 23. r l

The valve rod 2| is operated by a lever 25 which is pivoted on a housing 25 attached tobase plate It and which comprises a U shaped sheet metal, member having side walls 21, 23, .interconnected by a top wall 25. The lever 25 has two laterally extending lugs 3|, which engagein V notches 32- formed on opposite sides of the housing 25, only. one of which lugs and notches appearin the drawings. The outer end of valve rod 2| has a ball 33 formed thereon and is maintained in engagement with the under side of lever 25 by a C- shaped spring 35, the upper sideof which engages the top side of lever 25 and the under side of which is slotted to receive the neck portion on 4 the rod 2| immediately below the ball 33. It will be seen that the spring 35 resiliently maintains the rod 2| in engagement with the lever 25. The ball formation minimizes the friction between the lever and rod and permits the rod to shift to seat the valve, if necessary.

The lever 25 is adapted to be moved to close the valve by a thermal responsive element 45 which is attached to the plate H1 and is adapted to rotate the lever 25 clock-wise. In the preferred form of the invention, the thermal responsive ele- 'ment 40 comprises a pair of dish shaped flexible members 4|, 42 having the edges thereof telescoped and hermetically joined to form an expansible-chamber. Member 42 has a cup shaped member 43 brazed thereto which is attached to the base plate and which has one end of a tube 53 connected therewith leading to the interior of members 4|, 42. The opposite end of the tube is closed. The tube 44 preferably is of such length that a substantial part thereof may be disposed in the area the temperature of which is to be controlled, and the tube and the expansible chamber contains a gas such as methyl chloride, for example, the pressure of which corresponds to the temperature at the coolest portion of the thermal responsive element. The member 4| has a plate 45 attached thereto, which plate carries two lugs 45, which'lugs engage the under side of the lever 25 and which preferably haveprojections which extend through openings in the lever to maintain the lever centered thereon. As the gas pressure within the thermal responsive element 40 increases, the lever 25 is urged clockwise to close valve 20 on its seat l9. Preferably, clock-wise movement of the lever 25 is limited by a lug 41 stamped from the wall 21 and turned inwardly.

The lever 25 is urged counterclock-wise to open valve 20 by a spring 48 which is attached at one end to an upwardly projecting leg 49 of the lever and the other end of which is attached to an element 50 of a spring adjusting mechanism. It. will be understood by those skilled in the art that on an increase in temperature of the gas in the thermal responsive element 40, the element tends to move the valve to the closed position and on a-decrease in temperature the spring tends to move the valve to open position. By adjusting the tension of the spring the temperatures at which the valve opens andcloses can be regulated.

The range spring adjusting mechanism includes a push-pull knob 52 which may be disposed in any convenient position and when-the valve is used in an automobile, it may be mounted on the dashboard. .The knob 52 is attached to a Bowden wire 53 which is preferably incased in a flexible cable, one end of which is secured to the control mechanism by a bracket 54 welded to the housing 25 and which has a screw clamp 55 for attaching the cable to the bracket.

An adjusting member 55 is pivotally attached to the housing wall 29 and it comprises an elongated plate having a pin 5ii-we1ded to the underside thereof which extends through an opening in the housing wall and through, abushing 59 weldedto the underside of the wall. The pin 58 is held in the, bushing 59 by a spring ring 50 secured in a groove about the lower end thereon The adjusting member 56 has a post 53 attached thereto adjacent to one end to which the wire 53 is connected so that member 55 is rotated when the knob 52 is pushed or pulled.

The adjusting member 55 is connected with the spring 48 through the element 50 which comprises apiat'e having a ie'g 65 and-aiatera tending foot portion 6'6. The free end of '1eg 65- h'asasemicircular recess GT which engages a; pin 68 attached to the uppersurface of the member: 56 and which pin is located eccentric to the -pivotpin. 58; The top' wa'll of thelh'ousing has a recess 69 through which the fooi'iififi 'cifithe' element 50 extends downwardly into the housing. The foot 68' has a notch whichi'receive's' -afiedge p'ortionof" housingwall 2 9 at* one side 0t 10 recess 6'9 for supporting l'eg' 65 in" alignment with pin 't'ill It will be seer-r that tneedge or the recess: 69 form a guide for the outer en of the element 56 so that" when the adjusting member 56 is rotated the" outer end oftlie elernent meves longitudinallyrelative to the: spring 48':

Th iiootlfili ofthe' ele'men't BB' has a s crew T2 rotatably supported in an opening therethr'o'ugh a iifd the screw has a nut having external threads: for receiving" and securing one end of the spring 4'8' there'to; By rotating screw I? an L811 tension on spring- 48 may be provided to establishthe range of temperaturein which the valve-isfto operate. It will b eseen that-by-ro tating-member 55,-the-length of" spring 4-il-can be varied through element 58, consequently vary ingthetension'thereof on lever 25. It will be appreciated that. the tension of spring 48 maintains element 5'll'agai'nst" the pin 58 and it also tends torotate the: adjusting member 55 clockwise as viewed in Fig. 2.

By providing the: slot and pin connection between element 50 and member 56 and the recess guide 69 ior element 50, the" assembly of the mechanism is greatly facilitated as the element may=be-slipped inplace and it issecured by" the tension of therange-spring thereon.

dcounteract-whetendency of spring '48 to rotate the adjusting-member -fv'ti a pin 16' is attached to the upper side of the adjusting memher and a tension spring I! is attached to the pin. The opposite end of the spring 11 is attached to a hook portion 18 of the bracket 54 and the spring 11 tends to rotate member 56 counterclock-wise and against the reaction of spring 48. The location of pin 16 relative to pin 68 is such that as the element 50 is moved by rotation of member 56 to increase the tension of spring 48, i. e., counterclock-wise, the leverage advantage of spring I! on member 56 increases thereby compensating for the increased reaction of spring 48 on member 5%. It will be seen that at the same time the leverage advantage of spring 48 against member 56 decreases. This change in lever advantage of spring I! on member 56 is illustrated by the line L in Figs. '1, 8 which line is normal to a line running through the pivot of member 56 and the connection of spring 11 with the hook 18. In Fig. 8 it will be seen that the line L is at approximately its maximum length while element 50 is at approximately its maximum travel in a direction to increase tension of spring 48. In Fig. 7 the line L is considerably shorter and the leverage advantage of spring 11 on member 56 is decreased while element 50 is intermediate its spring adjusting travel. Thus, by properly selecting the characteristics of spring I! the adjusting member 56 may be rotated with a minimum of efiort and it will remain in any position it is placed. It is apparentthat the eccentricity and angular displacement of pin 68 relative to pin 58 determines the rate of adjustment of spring 48 according to angular movements of the member 56, and this may be varied as desired.

we hold the vaiveiin-enirr eilitscpenor ciose i i positions; the? upwardly extending: portinir 49.? of thelever zslha'sa lug. formedthereomwhiclt; projects upwardly through; a. notch: 8ft in the. h'ousingwall w. Onezendoi the;adziiistingzmeme ben -5 6 is providedwith a hookiportion 82'wh'ichtia adapted: tot engage" the: lug. '80 when the: memberv 56* is: rotated counterclock vvise"v to: the: position? shown in Fig. 2 and. to thereby force the; leve'r 25i' counterclockewise' as shown Figsa 1; and. 1*0': The valve is thus maintained open irrespectiveiofif the; temperatures" afiecting thethermal' responsive element? 40 The hook portion-1822 has resurface; 83f-which is adapted. tdc'am theflugiw to: the. valve opening positionfin the:eventlzthezvalvez isi; int its closed. or. almost: closed position: when; the

iri' 'Fi'gifli v The opposite? end. of: member 56' is provided. with a cam formation'sii whicmengages therlugi 80 when: memberr BG i's rotated; clockewisev to pdsition shown. in Fig; The cam" surface as adapted to move the lug; 8D outwardly and cone sequennyrotate lever 28 clock -wi's' to. dlose t'h'e valve' zfl' oni its: seat r92, irrespective: oft'tlie. te' perature conditions evailin'gi' at: the: then-man responsiveelement,as seen in 9:

It will b seen By" my invention"; V I. have. provided: a m'anu'al adjusting mechanism-for f taiiperatcre regulating: spring of" a control de vice whereby the spring'may he adiusted ovei Wid' range "-i-tl'i am iniinumor efibrtt. The-part are so arranged that they may be formed iiix pensiveiy and the assemblythereon-int th commted m'echanism:isconveni fit nil carried out with considerable-'- e'ifi'cir idyi theihvention': been:- shown and described S embodied in" a valve it could be embodied thermostatically operated elect c mechanism" as v'vell in which the rig -s'1iiif couldco'ntr'ol tnetemperatures-at; the switch, rather than a valve, is opened and closed. In using the term valve herein, it is to be understood that electric switches are included. Although only one form of the invention has been shown and described, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted as falling within the purview of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: 1. In a thermostatically actuated device, a lever movable to actuate a control member, a thermal repsonsive element for moving said lever, a spring opposing said element to control the temperatures at which said lever is operated, and means for adjusting the tension of said spring comprising a pivoted member, means linking said pivoted member and spring to vary the length of said spring by rotation of said pivoted member on its pivot, said lever having a portion thereof extending into the plane of rotation of said pivoted member, said pivoted member having a part in the form of a cam adapted to engage one side of said portion to positively hold said lever in one position when said pivoted member is rotated to a first position and having a part in the form of a second cam adapted to engage the opposite side of said portion to positively hold said lever in another position when said pivoted member is rotated to a second position.

2. In a thermostatically actuated device, a housing, a lever movable to actuate a control member. a thermal responsive element. for moving said lever, a spring opposing said element to control the temperatures at which the control member is operated, means for adjusting the tension of said spring comprising a member pivoted to a wall of said housing, a link pivotally connected at one end to said pivoted member eccentric to the axis of rotation of said member and connected at the opposite end thereof to said spring, said housing wall .having a recess receiving a. part of said link whereby edges of said recess form a guide for said link substantially longitudinally of said spring when said pivoted member is rotated on its pivot.

3; A thermostatically actuated controi device as defined in claim 2 in which the pivotal connection between said link and pivoted member comprises a pin and notch. V

4. Athermostatically operated control device as defined in claim 2 in which the pivotal connection between said link and pivoted member comprises a pin on said pivoted member and a recess in said link receiving said pin.

5. In athermostatically actuated device, such as a ,Valve having a spring adapted to regulate the temperatures at which the valve is operated according ,to the tension of said spring, means for varying the tension of said spring, comprising, a rotatable member, a link connected with said spring and movable to vary the tension of said spring, said link being pivotally connected with said member eccentric to the axis of rotation of said member and adapted to be moved to vary the tension of said spring when said member is rotated, and a resilient member connected to said rotatable member at a point eccentric to the axis of saidmember and located relative to the pivotal connection between said link and rotatable memher to urge said rotatable member in a direction contra to the reaction of said spring on said rotatable member through said link during at least a portion of the range of rotation of saidmember and to increase the leverage advantage of said resilient member on said rotatable member as the spring, said link being pivotally connected with said member eccentric to the axis of rotation of said member, guide means for directing movement of said link longitudinally of said spring when said member is rotated, and a resilient member connected to said pivoted member at a point eccentric to the axis of said pivoted member and located relative to the pivotal connection between said link and member to urge said pivoted member in a direction contra to the reaction of said spring on said pivoted member through said link during at least a portion of the range of rotation of said member and to increase the leverage advantage of said resilient member on said pivoted member as said pivoted member is moved to increase the tension of said spring through said link.

-ESTEL COLER RANEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Newton Jan. 9, 1951 

